2025 Hyundai Venue

The Hyundai Venue is part of a subset of smaller subcompact SUVs. It rubs fenders (speaking metaphorically) with vehicles like the Kia Soul, Nissan Kicks, and Chevrolet Trax. We make the distinction because there are larger subcompact SUVs like the Hyundai Kona and Honda HR-V — some even offer the option of greater engine power.

Here we are, though, checking out the most affordable new SUV available from Hyundai. It launched for the 2020 model year. Since then, we’ve awarded it the title of Lowest Cost to Own among subcompact SUVs, multiple times. Our owner reviews often mention the great fuel economy their Venues are achieving. The “pay for what you get” rule has some bearing in terms of technology and cabin materials, but we’re convinced that the Venue’s overall value proposition makes it well worth checking out.

We’ve logged hundreds of hours driving and evaluating this generation of subcompact SUVs, including the Hyundai Venue.

In addition to the Green Apple exterior paint option being replaced by Mirage Green, the SEL grade gets Blind Spot Collision Warning and a sunroof as standard. The Limited trim offers a two-tone paint scheme with a contrasting roof.

We recommend the SEL, which is what most buyers go for — although the Limited is also a popular choice. Our reasoning is that the SEL level is where things like rear brake discs and a leather-wrapped steering wheel come in.

Other top-selling subcompact SUVs include the Kia Soul, the new-for-2025 Nissan Kicks, and the Chevrolet Trax — all priced similarly to the Venue.

Before buying a new Venue SUV, check the Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price to know what you should really pay. Resale values are above the class average. Recouping more money when selling a vehicle can mean a bigger down payment and lower monthly payments on the next one.

The performance of the Hyundai Venue is similar to other small SUVs in this price range, including the Kia Soul and Chevy Trax. The Venue has a 121-horsepower engine, which is on the low side even for this unassuming corner of the automotive world.

That’s not much of an issue in city driving. In our experience, though, getting up to highway speed takes some patience. Once there, we’ve found the ride comfortable enough (given the Venue’s size and price) and there isn’t much wind noise, for which we were grateful. During our testing, we were pleasantly surprised how putting the Venue into Sport drive mode (standard in SEL and Limited trims) did indeed make this little SUV feel friskier when accelerating.

One of the Venue’s strengths is its maneuverability. We’ve found it easy to drive around town, especially when negotiating tight parking spots. The small footprint and short overhangs make it easy to discern the location of the car’s four corners.

Fuel Economy

The Venue has a slight competitive edge in fuel economy, achieving 31 mpg in combined city/highway driving. To compare, the Kia Soul and Chevy Trax run to 30 mpg combined.

To no one’s surprise, the cabin materials in the Hyundai Venue include a few cheap plastics. Buyers will remember how little they paid, and then go on to think about something else. At least the seats are comfortable and the controls are user-friendly. There are no power-adjustable seats or dual-zone automatic climate control, but then we really didn’t expect them.

Among small subcompact SUVs, the Venue isn’t able to compete with the Chevy Trax or Kia Soul, each of which have about 4 more inches of rear legroom than this Hyundai’s 34.3 inches. The same goes for cargo space. The Venue comes with 18.7 cubic feet behind the rear seats, expanding to 31.9 when they’re folded down. Most rivals have considerably more.

This sector of the car world is hotting up with the arrival of the new Nissan Kicks. And the practical Kia Soul retains its particular charm. Which leaves the Hyundai Venue looking more frumpy than funky. We wouldn’t be surprised if Hyundai worked its design magic on a revamped Venue for the next model year or the one after that. In the meantime, we think the optional contrasting roof offered with the top Limited trim enhances the car’s character.

Low ownership costs
We’ve given the Venue our Lowest 5-Year Cost to Own award for the subcompact SUV class after taking into account things like purchase price, depreciation, insurance, maintenance costs, and fuel economy.

Wireless phone integration
Cable-free Apple CarPlay and Android Auto comes standard in the Venue. We like the tidiness and convenience. But keep that cable handy if you’re in the Limited trim — this top version requires it. An odd state of affairs, we agree, but such are the tech limitations of the Venue.

Infotainment system
Every new Venue comes with an 8-inch touchscreen. The top Limited trim adds navigation and satellite radio.

Blind-spot monitoring
One of the reasons why we recommend the SEL trim. When driving in the city, there are other vehicles and cyclists moving this way and that. Having an unblinking eye on either side is always an asset. And it’s just as useful on the freeway.

Snow mode
Part of the SEL and Limited inventory, this driving mode adjusts the traction control system for optimum application of power in slippery conditions.

Rear USB ports
The top two trims have a pair of USB ports for rear passengers. And yes, there’s another pair up front.

Every new Venue employs a 1.6-liter 4-cylinder engine making a modest 121 horsepower and 113 lb-ft of torque. This goes solely to the front wheels through a continuously variable automatic transmission.

5-Year/60,000-Mile Warranty

The Venue enjoys class-leading warranties. Hyundai’s excellent coverage includes a 5-year/60,000-mile (whichever happens first) basic warranty, a 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty, and a 3-year/36,000-mile complimentary maintenance plan.

Safety Ratings

The Venue hasn’t been through all the updated crash tests performed by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). It did take top scores of Good in the few completed tests, however. It also earned an overall score of four stars out of a possible five from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Standard safety features include forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, plus lane-keeping assistance.